Interlocking serving tray

ABSTRACT

An interlocking tray including a flat bottom having opposed first and second end walls thereon with a first lip extending from the first end wall and a second lip extending from said second end wall together with a first locking groove on the first end wall and a second locking groove on the second end wall, and a first rib formed on said first lip of the first end wall for engagement with the second locking groove of the second end wall of another tray and a second rib formed on said second lip of the second wall for engagement with said first locking groove of a first end wall of another tray to removably connect the trays at the ends thereof.

United States Patent [1 1 Eckdahl et al.

[111 3,811,595 1451 May 21, 1974 i INTERLOCKING SERVING TRAY ['75]Inventors: Thomas H. Eckdahl, Brooklyn Center; Robert F. Bateman, St.Paul, both of Minn.

[73] Assignee: Plastics, Inc., St. Paul, Minn.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Switzerland 220/23.4

Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wicks &Nemer [5 7] ABSTRACT .An'interlocking tray including a flat bottomhaving opposed first and second end walls thereon with a first .lipextending from the first end wall and a second lip extending from saidsecond end wall together with a first locking groove on the first endwall and a second locking groove on the second end wall, and a first ribformed on said first lip of the first end wall for engagement. with thesecond locking groove of the second end wall of another tray and asecond rib formed on said second lip of the second wall for engagementwith said first locking groove of a first end wall of another tray toremovably connect the trays at the ends thereof.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SUMMARY The invention relates to hand heldtrays for serving food, beverages and the like. It is an object of theinvention to provide a tray that may be easily interlocked at its edgewith the edge of another tray which allows easy removal of trays from arelatively deep and horizontally disposed container particularly foundin use by the airlines.

It is a further object to provide a tray that may be interlocked withanother like tray at different angles of initial contact of the edges ofthe trays inasmuch as the trays are not carefully aligned when stored,and when i centrally with respect to the side walls 12and 14.

Formed on the underside of the lip is complementary locking means in theform of the rib 28 which is substantially centrally of the lip withrespect to the side walls 12 and 14, and formed on the underside of thelip 22 is complementary locking means in the form of the rib 30 which issubstantially centrally of the lip with respect to the side walls 12 andl4.

all of the various objects and advantages incident to the invention, butother objects and advantages will be referred to in or else will becomeapparent from that which follows. In the drawings forming part of thisapplication: FIG. 1 is a top plan view ofa tray embodying the invention.I

FIG. -2 is an engaging end view. FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through three trays engaged inone possible position with portions thereof broken away and differentanglesof initial engagement contact of the trays shown in broken lines.

FIG. 5 is a section through a portion of two trays in nesting position.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan .view of a central portion of an end of thetray.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the tray A includes thesubstantially flat bottom 10 and formed on the side edges thereof aretheoblique and outwardly diverging disposed side walls 12 and 14. Formedon one end edge of the bottom is the oblique and outwardlydiverging'first end wall l6.and formed on the other edge of the bottomisthe oblique and outwardly diverging second end wall 18. The walls l2,l4, l6 and 18 are 7 of the second end wall 18 is second locking means inthe form of the groove 26. The grooves 24 and 26 are The rib 28 is sopositioned on the underside of the lip 20 that it engages the groove 28when the lip 22 engages the underside of the end wall 16 to thus providea snug-tight interlocking fit. Similarly the rib 30 is so positioned onthe underside of the lip 22 that it engages the groove 24 when the lip20 engages the underside of the end wall- 18.

With reference to FIG. 4 it will be seen that there is engagement of thetrays as in the right one half of FIG. 3 when a tray happens to betilted up at the end opposite engagement and the wall l6engaged underthe wall 18. On the other hand a tray may be so moved that the wall 16and lip 20 go up and over the lip 22 which also results in engagement asillustrated on the left half of FIG 4. Further, and depending upon howthe trays make contact, we may have one lip of a tray going up and overanother lip and the opposed lip on the other end of the traygoing undera lip as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, no matter how the lips of the trayscontact there will be locking engagement upon moving one against theother.

We claim:

1. An interlocking tray comprising:

7 a. a flat bottom,

b. wall means including a first end wall formed on and obliquely to saidbottom,

a second end wall formed on and obliquely to said bottom,

a first lip extending from said first end wall,

a second lip extending from said second end wall,

. first locking means on said first end wall including a first groovein' the inner surface of said first end wall,

. second locking means on said second end wall including a second grooveformed on the inner surface of said first end wall,

. first complementary locking means on said first lip of said first endwall in the form of a rib for engagement with said second groove of saidsecond end wall of another tray, and

ond lip of said second end wall in the form of a rib for engagementwithsaid first groove of a first end wall of another tray to removablyconnect the trays at the ends thereof.

The device of claim 1 in which said first lip is formed at a right angleto said first end wall, and

. said second lip is formed at a right angle to said second end wallwhereby said first lip contacts said second lip and when moved againstsaid second lip said first lip rides upon the second lip and down uponsaid second wall allowing said first rib to engage said second groove.

. second complementarylocking means on said sec--

1. An interlocking tray comprising: a. a flat bottom, b. wall meansincluding a first end wall formed on and obliquely to said bottom, c. asecond end wall formed on and obliquely to said bottom, d. a first lipextending from said first end wall, e. a second lip extending from saidsecond end wall, f. first locking means on said first end wall includinga first groove in the inner surface of said first end wall, g. secondlocking means on said second end wall including a second groove formedon the inner surface of said first end wall, h. first complementarylocking means on said first lip of said first end wall in the form of arib for engagement with said second groove of said second end wall ofanother tray, and i. second complementary locking means on said secondlip of said second end wall in the form of a rib for engagement withsaid first groove of a first end wall of another tray to removablyconnect the trays at the ends thereof.
 2. The device of claim 1 in whicha. said first lip is formed at a right angle to said first end wall, andb. said second lip is formed at a right angle to said second end wallwhereby said first lip contacts said second lip and when moved againstsaid second lip said first lip rides upon the second lip and down uponsaid second wall allowing said first rib to engage said second groove.